Numbers
by repmetsyrrah
Summary: Small ficlets about Sybil and Tom inspired by Tumblr prompts.
1. Chapter 1

This is a collection of ficlets prompted from a numbered list on Tumblr (hence the title). There's a link to the Tumblr post on my profile page. The initial list said to keep the responses within 5 sentences which I tried at first then failed pretty quickly with but they're all pretty short. I'll be posting them quite close but I hope you enjoy them. Most are unbetaed.

Requested by piperholmes.

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**50. Breaking the Rules**

"This is not how things are done!"

"Papa, it's not up for debate. Dr. Clarkson has already agreed-"

But Robert wasn't listening, finding his daughter a lost cause and rounding on her husband instead.

"I offer you refuge in my house and you can't even have the decency to do things _our_ way."

Tom matched his glare unflinchingly. "My wife has asked me to be with her when she gives birth and I will honour her wishes over every one of your close-minded and outdated sensibilities. Every time."


	2. Chapter 2

Requested by piperholmes.

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**52. Deep in Thought**

"You're a quiet one, aren't you?"

Sybil looks up, startled from her memories by the voice of her roommate. "I'm sorry," she apologises, meeting the friendly smile with a practised one of her own. "Just… thinking."

"Missing home? This your first time away?"

First time away from home, first proposal, first heart broken…

First man she's ever truly loved.

She shakes her head before the last thought can settle and nods. "But it's okay," she assures the other girl, collecting herself. "I'm sure once we get into it I'll be too busy to worry."

She desperately hopes so at least.


	3. Chapter 3

Requested by greenkneehighs.

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**72. Mischief Managed**

"Have you seen Sybil and Tom?"

Matthew looked up at the sound of his wife's voice and shook his head. "Not for a while, why?"

Mary pursed her lips and looked around the hall, which was brightly lit for the Servants' Ball, searching the dancing couples for any sign of her sister or husband. Not finding them, she sat down with a very unamused look on her face.

"Carson just came to inform me the garage door was ajar and the light on and perhaps I ought to send _you_ to investigate the matter. Given our chauffeur is still at the ball." Her expression grew more disapproving as she added pointedly, "Unlike the former one."

Matthew struggled, and ultimately failed to hold in his laughter, even the cutting glare from his wife not enough to silence his amusement. "I'm sorry," he managed after a moment, taking a few deep breaths to collect himself. "But, do you know, that sounds a bit dangerous, not sure who could be lurking in there. Perhaps I'll wait for Tom to return so he can join me," he added with a wink. "Just in case."

"It's not funny. Of all places-"

"They're married," Matthew pointed out, still finding the situation very entertaining. "And of all places, I should think that would be the least surprising to find _them_."


	4. Chapter 4

Requested by yankeecountess.

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**63. Do Not Disturb**

"Of course they'll invite the Churchills, who else-"

"_Shhh."_

Mary and Robert both jumped, startled as the sudden appearance of the former chauffeur turned brother and son-in-law from around the corner in front of them.

"I don't-"

"Shhh." Tom glared at the Earl and held a finger to his lips, speaking low and quiet. "Sybil and the baby are both asleep. You have to go the other way."

"This is my house! I should think-"

"_Sh!"_

Lord Grantham looked as if he might implode with indignation, though thankfully, he didn't make any more noise as Tom continued, still speaking just above a whisper.

"I've just spent _three hours_ getting my daughter to stop screaming. This is the first time my wife has slept in almost a _day_. I don't _care_ if we were in Buckingham _Palace_. _Go. The other. Way._"

Lord Grantham looked to his daughter for support but Mary could see what her father hadn't bothered too notice: the slightly too wide, red eyes, the unstable posture. Exhaustion radiated off the man in front of them, the only thing keeping him upright the desire to protect his tiny, new family, something he looked more than prepared to do at any cost.

Mary found she didn't quite want to see that eventuate.

"Papa… You know, Sybil does need her rest, let's take the other stairs."


	5. Chapter 5

Requested by tothelibrary.

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**81. Pen and Paper**

They hadn't spoken since the concert.

He had made his apology and she had accepted it, but he can tell she's still hurt his attempted protest against the general and his refusal to promise her not to try anything like it again. He could lie to Mr Carson though, but not her. Never her.

His cottage is cold when he returns for lunch and he lights the fire before heading to his small kitchen but before he can get there something on the desk catches his eye.

Deliveries for the chauffeur are usually made to the garage itself, rarely inside his cottage. But the pile of new paper and the fancy pen weren't there before, nor was the note perched on top with only a single line on it.

_You don't need to be thrown in prison to have your name in the papers._

There's no signature, but he knows Sybil's hand anywhere. And really, who else would make such a suggestion to a chauffeur?


	6. Chapter 6

Requested by loric101.

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**43. Dying**

"Can't we do anything?"

"I'm afraid not, but he'll have an easier passing than many they send to the trenches."

"Can I stay with him?"

The head nurse regards Sybil silently for a moment before she agrees. "If you wish, but if you're needed you have to leave. The Captain here can't be helped anymore, but others can."

Sybil nods before taking a seat, trying to maintain her professionalism. She has been trained for this, but it's different somehow, sitting in a familiar place, watching a man she had had talked to just yesterday drawing his last, rasping breaths.

She allows her mind to drift as the hours pass and she isn't called upon. She wonders how many more times she would see this happen, how many more sons, brothers, friends would die before it all ended.

She closes her eyes for a moment when they grow heavy. She hopes they'll send the car for her, she's not sure she wants to walk home alone today.

It's the silence that wakes her.


	7. Chapter 7

Requested by loric101.

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**17. Blood **(S2 AU)

She was the one who had promised him it would be okay, she had been certain it had been the safe time- but then she had been late, a whole week.

She was never too regular but never so late, and as much as she loved Tom there was no way for them to have a child now, not with the war still raging and their marriage still secret.

Now, hurrying to close the door of the washroom, she prayed desperately she had felt what she thought.

She lifted her skirts and and almost collapsed in relief.

Sybil had never been so glad to see blood in her life.


	8. Chapter 8

These two ficlets were requested by cassiemortmain and tothelibrary respectively but I'm posting them together because 44 is a prequel to 92. S2 AU.

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**44. Two Roads**

"If you marry him you will never set foot in this house again while I am alive."

The drawing room erupts then, protests and disbelieving cries coming from all corners. Even Tom can't help but mutter a string of curses, though only Sybil hears, her hand coming to rest on his arm, holding him beside her, where she needs him most.

"_Quiet!_" Her father's voice thunders through the room, stunning everyone into silence.

His next words are lower, but hit just as sharply.

"If you choose him, you leave _now_. You can have what you wear, but everything you have was bought with my money and since you care so little for it, you can leave it all."

She's dimly aware of her mother crying somewhere in the room but she looks at her father, a man she had once all but idolised, who now gave her such a cruel choice: To stay with her family, whom she loved dearly and who loved her, but who would keep her in a gilded prison. Or to give them up, for one man who could barely offer her a single room in London but who had taken her heart so fully and given his completely in return, who promised her the freedom she had yearned for her whole life- who would never think of asking her to choose.

It's surprisingly simple.

She takes Tom's hand and nods politely to the man in front of her, delivering her last words to him as if to a stranger.

"Goodbye, Lord Grantham."

She doesn't look back.

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**92. All That I Have**

It's small, but it's warm and clean and Sybil finds herself already relaxing into the room as her husband shuts the door behind them.

_Her husband._ The thought sends a thrill down her spine. Even as she stands in the small inn, still in her wedding outfit, she knows she'll never tire of the words.

"You deserve more."

The soft, lilting voice makes her turn and she shakes her head. "No. No don't do that."

"You do. I'm sorry I can't give it to you."

"No." She closes the distance between them and steps into his arms. "My father threw me with only the clothes on my back because I dared to love a good man. He can't even give his approval but you've given me everything you have and sometimes I wonder what I've done to deserve so much."

She kisses him, savouring the freedom of being able to do so without fear of the consequences of being caught.

"I don't deserve you, Tom Branson."

"No." He kisses her again. "You gave up everything you had for me. I don't think I'll ever be good enough to deserve that."

Sybil just laughs, aware that they're moving toward the bed now and more the willing to get there.

"It's a good thing we've got the rest of our lives to convince each other how wrong we both are then, isn't it?"

They start that night.


End file.
